Pupil Of My Eye
by ButtButtDoodle
Summary: Kagome had tutored many shy and introverted children, but this went beyond the usual quiet kid. Sesshoumaru wasn't simply silent; he WAS silence. / MiddleSchool!Sesshoumaru x HighschoolTutor!Kagome, a love story told through growing pains.
1. Chapter 1

**Universe:** Inuyasha Modern AU

 **Pairing:** None

 **Disclaimer:** Inuyasha and it's characters are the intellectual property of Rumiko Takahashi.

 **Pupil Of My Eye**

888

For a boy his age, Sesshoumaru was uncharacteristically quiet.

Kagome had tutored many shy and introverted children, but this went beyond the usual quiet kid. Sesshoumaru wasn't simply silent; he _was_ silence. Kagome could almost say it had become his nature and he had embraced it. It made her job as his tutor all the more difficult and intriguing.

It would be unfair to say that Sesshoumaru refused to speak or that he was incapable of speech. The young boy simply did not start conversations. He did not seek out communication with the outside world like Kagome did and, left to his own devices, any response that could not be meted out in lazy gestures would be given in short, economical sentences that blackballed further interlude. He was never downright rude, despite his obvious dislike of speech whenever he was forced to resort to talking. He just rather not waste his breath unnecessarily.

In brief, Sesshoumaru was not a _people_ person, Kagome decided with a mental nod.

So one day, when she was in the middle of revising a particularly hard math equation with the middle-school boy, she tried to get him out of his shell.

"Were you always this quiet, Sesshoumaru-kun?"

Sesshoumaru stopped mid-scribble, pencil hovering over his notebook. Deep pools of gold looked up at the curious girl sitting beside him, not many years older than himself.

"How exactly does this pertain to the exercise…Sensei?" he added the honorific at the end almost forcibly. In truth, Sesshoumaru had not been thrilled when his father had assigned him a tutor, especially one as young as Kagome. He had thought very highly of himself for most of his young life, and the fact that his father had deemed his grades in math below his expectations had been a fatal blow to his very fragile ego. He wasn't by far the only child in his class with a tutor, but Sesshoumaru had prided himself in being self-sufficient and near-genius. So when his father had opened the door to his room and presented a beaming high-school girl with a dangerously short sailor-suit, Sesshoumaru could only gape in disbelief.

It didn't help that the girl babbled endlessly about every single thought that seemed to pop into her head. Sesshoumaru was by no means discrediting her knowledge. He was loathe to admit that she was quite good at math and had thus far been the best tutor he had since his father began assigning them to him. At the very least, she didn't run away in tears like the last three had, so he had to give her that. He scowled remembering the sniveling creatures that had attempted to tutor the great Sesshoumaru.

Kagome sighed dramatically, pulling him out of his thoughts, her body leaning back against the chair until it creaked dangerously. She didn't seem to mind. "Well, I've been tutoring you for the past month and I can count the amount of times we've had a real conversation on ONE hand! You know, I _am_ your tutor but I can also be your friend." She smiled brightly at him, dimples showing. The white-haired youth ignored the way his heart squeezed.

"My father is paying you to teach me math, Sensei, not to entertain me."

She leaned in very close, and suddenly Sesshoumaru's very sensitive nose was bombarded with the smell of sunflowers and oranges and other wonderful things he could not name, nor dare he.

"It'll be our secret." She smiled conspiratorially.

"Mother hates when I keep secrets from her." Sesshoumaru murmured, recalling a time when he had hid the truth from his mother. She had repaid him for the deceit tenfold, he could tell you that.

"That can be our secret too." She winked. Then leaning back again, much to Sesshoumaru's relief and disappointment, she went back to her question. "So were you always this quiet?"

The young boy looked down at the paper, not really seeing the math problems there, instead mulling the question over in his mind.

"My father…"he began slowly."…taught me when to speak and when not to speak. You have met the Lord of the West; he is not a man you 'talk back to' or question, regardless if you do not agree with him." He wondered whether he should mention that refusing to follow with such rules led to very painful lessons, but he decided he did not want the girl to pity him.

Too late though, because when Sesshoumaru looked up, he saw sympathy shining bright in the young woman's eyes. "I guess you were a quiet kid, then." She spoke, soft and gentle.

"No." Sesshoumaru countered defiantly, surprising Kagome as she saw the barest hint of a smirk adorning her young pupil's face. "I wasn't."

A/N:

Don't hate me. I really do mean to upload a long story soon, but it has been super crazy lately. Moving from one country to another is a lot harder and complex than I had anticipated. But to give you guys a prize, here's a little drabble I had hanging around. Middle-school Sesshoumaru is such a cute thought that I just can't. And no, you guys, this won't turn into some weird romantic thing. He's a KID.


	2. Chapter 2

**Universe:** Inuyasha (Modern AU)

 **Pairing:** One-sided SessKag

 **Disclaimer:** Inuyasha and its characters are the intellectual property of one Rumiko Takahashi.

 **Pupil of my Eye II**

888

Sesshoumaru didn't like sharing.

It wasn't that he was selfish. It was simply that the solemn eleven-year-old found the very idea of having to portion something - that he had earned for himself fair and square - with another person completely illogical.

Which is how Kagome found herself in a very frustrating predicament.

"Sesshoumaru, you can't possibly eat that banana split all by yourself!"

The haughty middle-schooler stared back evenly with yellow eyes wiser than his young years would lead one to believe. Kagome stared back aghast as the boy clutched the plate closer to his chest greedily.

That had been her first mistake, handing a little boy ice-cream in his hands without thinking about it through. Sesshoumaru might be more mature than your average middle-schooler, but he was still a kid.

And kids LOVED ice-cream.

"Sesshoumaru." The annoyed high-schooler warned him softly. "Give it to me."

Without breaking eye-contact, Sesshoumaru drew the plate closer to his face until the soft dessert was dangerously close to his lips. Kagome's eyes drew wide. He wouldn't-!

With a clever flick of his tongue, Sesshoumaru dragged the small pink organ all across the dessert, marking with saliva the sweet plate as his. Kagome gaped openly, shocked at his extreme measures.

"Fine!" she stomped her foot. "Be that way. I'll go and buy one for myself then!" and with a huff, the girl whirled around and went back in line to order another ice-cream. She'd show that little demon. It would be the biggest, tastiest most expensive dessert on the menu, and she would charge it back to his daddy's credit card. Already feeling better at her choice of justice, Kagome scanned the menu with determined gusto

Immensely satisfied with himself, Sesshoumaru gingerly dabbed at his mouth with a napkin and picked up the plastic spoon that was on the white table. If he were the type to smile, he would've, but he settled for giving the plate in his hand a loving gaze.

It was something he kept secret, but Sesshoumaru loved sweets. He had a terrible sweet-tooth, something that his tutor had learned and consecutively used to bribe him. Do well on your homework, get a small chocolate. Do well on a quiz or report, get a slice of cake. And the ultimate prize for acing a test, the one Sesshoumaru had looked forward to since Kagome's proposal – a trip to Myoga's Ice-Cream Parlor. With that goal in mind, Sesshoumaru had done his very best to earn such a prize. She had gushed when he brought home an A+ on his last math exam, more than his own mother had at least. Without missing a beat, Kagome had asked his parents for permission to take her young pupil to an ice-cream shop, and they had graciously allowed the excursion. Sesshoumaru was thrilled.

But upon arriving there, she had suggested they share an ice-cream and had settled on buying a banana split, one of Sesshoumaru's childhood favorites, for two. Feeling cheated – after all, why share an ice-cream for _his_ success? – he then promptly decided to make it clear that the coveted prize was his and his alone.

Sesshoumaru chuckled as he remembered her distraught face just mere seconds ago as he vandalized the sugary sweet with his spit. Sure, it had been a very juvenile tactic, but the pretty raven always managed to raise that part of him; the one that had no obligations or the weight of his family name on his shoulder, but was just a child happy to be let loose. Settling into his seat as he waited for Kagome to return, he began to dig into his well-earned treat. He grabbed a big scoop and feverishly pushed it into his open mouth.

Pure bliss. He sighed unconsciously in delight, his tiny legs swinging in the high seat, barely scuffing the floor.

Halfway into putting the spoon into his mouth for a second bite, the door to the ice-cream parlor opened. Two young men entered the establishment, both speaking obnoxiously loud and disrupting the other patrons of the parlor. Sesshoumaru frowned, but refrained from speaking out in reprimand. One such as himself did not stoop to their level of annoyance, and he wisely opted to keep his nose out of it. After all, besides being a nuisance, they weren't doing anything illegal.

Bright yellow eyes followed their lanky figures as they made their way to the line - directly behind Kagome.

One of the boys - a lanky idiotic-looking punk with a pathetic collection of hair under his chin which he was attempting to pass off as a goatee - elbowed his friend and pointed at Kagome. Sesshoumaru's overly-sensitive ears picked up their conversation and listened intently, momentarily forgetting the melting ice-cream in his hands.

"Whoa…check out the sweet vanilla ice-cream here." Idiot-goatee said to his friend, stroking his patchy facial hair. His friend, just as stupid-looking, but fatter and wearing an unfortunate hat, nodded enthusiastically.

"I wouldn't mind taking a lick out of that cookies and cream." Stupid-hat replied, and they both guffawed.

He might've been young, but Sesshoumaru understood the gist of their conversation, and he visibly bristled. Suddenly, he had lost his appetite.

Kagome didn't seem to hear their comments or notice their snickering. She cheerfully made her order, one that Sesshoumaru noticed was quite long as she added everything there was in the parlor, from sprinkles to almonds to coconut shavings, into her ice cream. She politely stood to the side, deaf and blind to the continued behavior of the duo, even thought to Sesshoumaru and everyone else within the parlor it was plain to see.

When Sesshoumaru was almost at his wits end with their horrid commentary, Kagome was given her ice-cream and she skipped towards him, a ridiculous broad smile on her face. The ice-cream was three scoops tall and wavering under the weight of all the extras she had added to it. She didn't see the duo look after her hungrily.

"Sesshoumaru, what's wrong? You haven't eaten a bite out of your ice cream!" She gasped, suddenly dismayed. "What, you didn't like it?"

"I was waiting for you, Sensei." He replied dryly. The men were still looking at Kagome, perversely eyeing her up and down. Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed.

Kagome, oblivious to the situation, sat down next to her young pupil, practically bouncing in her seat. "Well, let's dig in!" she announced, and ignoring the tiny spoon giver to her, went to give a hearty lick to her ice-cream, much to the enjoyment of the two punks. She cried out in delight, low and throaty, and the boys nearly lost it. Scrambling to pay for their order and grabbing their own ice-creams, the two men headed towards their table, eyes fixed on Kagome.

Sesshoumaru would stand no more of this nonsense.

He put his plate down and kneeled on the seat, leaning over his teacher. Kagome pulled away from her own treat, feeling the young boy hover over her, ice cream dripping from her cheek. "Sesshoumaru-kun?-" she barely got out before she felt him grasp her shoulders.

Ignoring the girl's sudden alarm, Sesshoumaru dragged his tongue from the corner of her mouth to the high planes of her cheekbones, the trek slow and languid and rough. He felt Kagome tremble beneath him, though she did not move. Sesshoumaru gave two more quick licks, satisfied. When he pulled away, savoring the sweet taste of ice-cream he had picked up along the way, he saw Kagome's face. It was burning a bright, brick red.

Kagome stuttered for a few seconds, trying to find her voice. Everybody in the parlor was looking at them, especially the two boys, and Sesshoumaru licked his lips with a smug expression on his face.

Finally, she squeaked out a shaky and confused "What the hell?". Sesshoumaru smirked in amusement.

"You had ice-cream on your face, Sensei." He explained innocently, sidling up closer to her side and turning back to his own ice cream.

Kagome seemed to shake out of her stupor and pouted down at him, still blushing brightly. "Then just tell me next time or grab a napkin, sheesh! You're not a dog, you know!" she reprimanded, to which Sesshoumaru shrugged uncaringly. That only served to make her more flustered.

"And I'm not your pet, so don't just think you can do whatever you want with me!" Kagome continued, fighting a losing battle with her blush.

Sesshoumaru glared pointedly at the two punks, who flinched at the coldness an eleven-year-old child could convey. "You may not be my pet, Sensei. But you are mine." he replied coolly.

And Sesshoumaru didn't like sharing.

 **Author's notes:** In which MiddleSchool!Sesshoumaru has no sense of boundaries or personal space. He seems like the type of little snot who would do this. I've met my fair share of kids who have done similar acts in a childish attempt to 'mark' other girls as theirs so this didn't seem too far off. I even had a boy of this age bite my calf once. Things kids do to express their 'crushes' I guess? Poor Kagome though xD (evil writer). Have you guys ever have to go through something like that?

And as a treat, you guys get two chapter updates! Yay!


	3. Chapter 3

**Universe:** Inuyasha (Modern AU)

 **Pairing:** None

 **Disclaimer:** Inuyasha and its characters are the intellectual property of Rumiko Takahashi. I just like writing shitty fanfic of them.

 **AN:** This is a bit heavier than usual, so bear with me. But this little drabble would NOT leave me alone. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

* * *

 **Pupil of my Eye III**

Something was off.

Kagome didn't know how she knew, but there was definitely something weird going on, she surmised as she watched Sesshoumaru listlessly answer the math questions for the pop quiz she had brought him.

Now to be honest, there was nothing strange about a silent Sesshoumaru. Perhaps strange by age standards, since eleven-year-olds were seldom as quiet as he, but Kagome had more or less grown accustomed to the middle-schooler's subdued personality. Throughout the course of their engagement as student and tutor Kagome had triumphantly managed to get him a bit more out of his shell, which manifested as sarcasm and deliberate jabs to her person, but she would take what she could get with gusto. If bantering with her was Sesshoumaru's way of communicating, then the raven-haired girl didn't mind as long as he was communicating at all.

But today wasn't one of those days. Sesshoumaru was even more withdrawn than usual, taciturn even. And it seemed that whatever mood was dwelling in the air around her young pupil had been inhaled by the rest of the household.

Upon her arrival to Taisho Manor, Kagome was met with a similar deathly silence from the other residents of the house. Usually, as soon as Kagome arrived she would be greeted by Mrs. Taisho, who would graciously offer Kagome a glass of water or tea with warm biscuits before beginning her sessions with her young son. It was the sincerity of these offerings that Kagome questioned – Mrs. Taisho was not the warmest of creatures (a trait she passed on to her son) and her niceties were more a display of her devotion to the role of 'gracious host' than true concern. Kagome always politely refused. She knew too well that Mrs. Taisho wasn't keen on a young attractive girl tutoring her son and (quite innocently, mind you!) amusing her husband - God only knew what she would slip into her drink.

After going thru the ringer of 'politeness' with the mistress of the manor, Kagome would then be led to Mr. Taisho, where she would briefly but animatedly report on her progress with his son.

The Lord of the House in every sense of the word, Mr. Taisho exuded the danger and charisma of a particularly large dog that you wanted to both pet and keep your distance from. Unlike Sesshoumaru, whose face was closed off and perfectly trained to a default of 'boredom', Mr. Taisho was an open book and you could literally see his emotions flashing through his entire face and body. It was a bit unnerving, as his moods were lightning-quick, his temperament mercurial, and Kagome was always careful when choosing her words with him, more so than Mrs. Taisho. One wrong word about the young boy's progression, even just a hint of negativity, and she knew that Sesshoumaru would be reprimanded quite firmly by the father figure.

Luckily enough, the older man seemed to have a soft spot for Kagome, comparing her vibrancy and beauty to a beloved acquaintance of his – "Yes, you would get along just fine with Izayoi! She would be most pleased to meet you!" - and their interactions while brief were for the most part fairly jovial.

Once that was done, she would then finally be escorted to Sesshoumaru's chambers, where she would begin the long and arduous process of trying to get him to act his age more and not stress out as much, while still teaching Middle-School-Level Math.

Today though, everything had been thrown out the window. Instead of Mrs. Taisho greeting her at the door, one of the maids had answered. She had mutely taken Kagome's jacket, put it gingerly in a hanger in the closet next to the entrance and without a single glance or word had left the young raven confused on the threshold. Kagome stood for a good two minutes there, until she finally realized that Mrs. Taisho was not coming to meet her and offer her usual snacks. That alone sent alarm bells off in Kagome's head. Hesitantly, the raven shouldered her bag and went inside.

She passed the dining room, where she would usually meet with the head of the household, and froze.

Indeed, Mr. Taisho was sitting there at the table as Kagome usually saw him, but instead of the open or carefree appearance he normally wore, a heavy cloud hung over him. His large shoulders were bowed as he hunched over the table, elbows on the top and fingers interlaced. Mouth hidden behind his hands, he stared off into space, a pensive expression running a thunderous line down the center of his forehead. Papers were strewn in front of him and a pen lay waiting to be picked up. More worrisome though, was the sight of Mrs. Taisho's wedding band in the middle of the wooden table, impossible to ignore due to its shining diamonds catching the light of the setting sun.

To the side of Mr. Taisho, his aid – Jaken, Kagome's mind supplied – was standing awkwardly, his hands fidgeting non-stop, his face a mask of worry. When Jaken looked up and saw Kagome approaching, his bulging eyes squinted at her and he shook his head. Kagome stopped in her steps, unsure of what was going on.

The little green man excused himself from his master's side, although Kagome couldn't be sure if Mr. Taisho had heard him since he gave no sign of response. Ambling toward the girl quickly, Jaken roughly turned the girl around and started pushing her towards the staircase.

"What-?" Kagome began, when Jaken cut her off.

"Master Taisho is not feeling well today and cannot have his reunion with you. I expect that not much has changed from yesterday regarding our young lord's study progress, but if something were to be important enough to denote, please leave your comments to me."

"Is something going on? Where's Mrs. Taisho-?"

"You ask too many questions!" Jaken snapped, giving a small final shove, effectively pushing Kagome toward the first step.

Kagome turned around, about to snap back, but Jaken beat her to it. "You are only Sesshoumare-sama's tutor, and whatever happens in this household is none of your business, wench. Your only concern should be our tiny lord's education, and anything outside of that is off limits to a mere hired hand like yourself. Now excuse me, I must attend to my lord immediately." And with one last haughty look at the girl, Jaken trotted back towards the dining room, where Kagome could see that Mr. Taisho had not moved an inch.

Slightly irked at the stupid toad's attitude, but more intrigued by the mystery of everybody's strange behavior, Kagome began her journey up the staircase. This time it felt slightly more intrusive, since there was no Jaken or parental figure to escort her up to the young man's lodgings.

Kagome had hoped that once in that safe space, the strangeness would end and she would be able to get some information on what the heck was going on from the young boy himself.

But upon entering the room, she was met with the sight of Sesshoumaru hunched over a study book, already starting the study session without her. This was odd enough in itself, because while not difficult, it took Kagome a good five minutes to get Sesshoumaru into the mindset of studying for math. It was more common to see him sprawled out in his bed, looking up at the ceiling thinking God-knew-what or polishing his sword, a favored family heirloom his father had given him when he had turned ten.

Kagome closed the door behind her, trying to assess the situation. When the young boy didn't react to the sound of her entrance, Kagome frowned. He always greeted her, even out of politeness.

"Sesshoumaru?" she ventured when the boy had failed to pull his face out of the text to acknowledge her arrival.

He seemed to be intensely concentrated in the words before him, except his eyes didn't move from the same spot and his knuckles were white as they choked the pencil in his fingers. This was worrisome indeed.

Kagome coughed loudly and with a jump Sesshoumaru turned towards her, eyes wide as if surprised to find her there. Just as quickly though, the mask of indifference fell into place and Kagome watched sadly as his childish face returned into somber stoniness.

"Sensei." Sesshoumaru finally said, dipping his head in a soft bow as Kagome neared him warily. She let her backpack fall next to her chair, the sound loud in the quiet room.

 _Quiet room, quiet house, quiet boy_ , Kagome thought sadly.

She collapsed onto the rickety chair next to her pupil and tried a smile, which quickly withered when Sesshoumaru didn't react to it. Not even an amused quirked eyebrow, which was his way of smiling without using an excess amount of muscles. His face was a slate of controlled boredom. But his eyes…

Kagome busied herself rummaging through her backpack for today's lesson plan, as she tried to process what on Earth could make the stoic child hold such heavy sadness in his yellow eyes.

When she resurfaced, Sesshoumaru was already looking back into the textbook, his gaze a million miles away.

 _Just like his father downstairs…_

She needed to find out what was going on.

Kagome went on to explain that day's lesson, and without any comment Sesshoumaru began answering the exercise sheet she had brought him. She had been careful to remain composed and quiet throughout the exercise breakdown, and when she felt her pupil distracted enough that she could sneak into his shell of isolation, she attacked.

"So…what's up?" she tried.

No answer.

Scribble, scribble.

She had been expecting as much. Throwing caution to the wind, Kagome went for it.

"I didn't see your mother when I came in. That's odd, since she's always here to make sure I'm not corrupting her baby boy with my devilish high school ways." Kagome teased, hoping Sesshoumaru would rise to the bait.

She was gratified when finally Sesshoumaru's hand stopped mid-scribble, pencil hovering over an answer. Kagome had been expecting a snarky comeback or some other form of sophisticated insult that Sesshoumaru always threw her way. But instead of haughty and annoyed, Sesshoumaru's voice was eerily flat.

"Mother is not here anymore."

Kagome nearly shivered at the monotone delivery of that statement. What the heck was that supposed to mean?

"Is she out raiding the closest Tiffany's or Bloomingdale's?" Kagome ventured, hoping once again to lighten the mood. The pretty raven knew that Mrs. Taisho had a particular weakness for shopping and owning the finest things in life – as evidenced by her masterful wardrobe and the tasteful decorating of the house. Kagome knew it to be her handiwork, since it was as opulent and refined as the woman herself.

Sesshoumaru's fist tightened over the pencil, an action that did not go unnoticed by Kagome.

"Mother will not be coming back here anymore." He clarified his previous statement, and Kagome felt dread trickle down her spine.

"Why?" Kagome heard the hushed question leave her lips before she could stop herself.

"Because…" Sesshoumaru started, "…she cannot bear to be in the same house as _her._ The one like all the others, but not..." he finished mutely. The last sounded like something Mrs. Taisho herself had said and that the boy was merely reciting. But what did it mean?

"I don't understand." Kagome admitted softly, bending slightly to catch Sesshoumaru's gaze.

"She said I was too young to understand such weaknesses. But…my father is not weak." Sesshoumaru's voice trembled faintly at the edges, and Kagome recognized the flash of hurt sparking behind his sad eyes, betraying the mask of indifference. "Father is _not_ weak, he is the strongest man I know! So why…? How could he…?" Sesshoumaru grit his teeth as his head bowed down.

"How could he bring such shame and tarnish to our family, Sensei?"

Kagome was barely breathing, her thoughts racing as she tried to piece together the young boy's ramblings. If she had been expecting something, this certainly was not it. Before her, Sesshoumaru was a bowed line of sadness and anger, fists trembling in the most powerful display of emotion she had seen from the boy since meeting him. With a frenzied heart, she tried to make sense of the clues that had been given to her.

An absentee mother, a father crushed into silence by shame, papers that needed to be signed, and an abandoned wedding ring.

Kagome swallowed as the puzzle pieces formed a picture that she could not quite believe.

Now, Mr. and Mrs. Taisho may not have been the most affectionate of couples – particularly Mrs. Taisho, since her husband was always the one making the attempt of being warm and affectionate from what little Kagome gathered from their interactions – but she could not fathom that he would risk it all by being…by being… for God's sake, Kagome couldn't even bring herself to think it!

And who could even garner the attention of such a powerful and charismatic man? She was only Sesshoumaru's tutor so it's not like Mr. Taisho indulged Kagome in many of his personal affairs, but he often talked about his life with the family and work and it all seemed pretty tame. He did not mention any females besides his wife and mother-

Wait…

That wasn't true.

There was one woman that he mentioned to Kagome once. His eyes had softened, and Kagome had only taken it as fondness for a friend, but now she identified his gaze as loving and warm and something else. Something more grown-up. What was her name…? The one woman he spoke about besides his own wife, the one that made him smile and giddy, the one like all the others but not…

"Izayoi…" Kagome murmured.

Her young ward's head snapped up so quick Kagome actually jumped back. If that had not surprised her enough, Sesshoumaru's furious face certainly did.

"How do you know her name?!"

"I-!"

"Have you met her? Did you know that my father- that they-?!"

"No!" Kagome rushed, her hands shaking wildly in front of her trying to calm down the young boy. "No, I had no idea, Sesshoumaru!" That was the last thing that this child needed, for him to think that all the grown-ups around him were keeping secrets from him. If she could wish for anything, then Kagome wished for Sesshoumaru to find comfort in her as his ally during what would be sure to be rough times.

Sesshoumaru was breathing heavily, his body unused to displaying so much emotion. Just as quickly as he had exploded though, he seemed to deflate before her very eyes. Kagome watched, heart –broken, as he folded into himself and she remembered just how young he truly was. She barely caught what he said next.

"They are having a child…" Sesshoumaru whispered, his eyes wide and confused and betrayed. "My father is having a child with another woman that is not my mother. Why, Sensei?" Sesshoumaru looked up and Kagome nearly wept at his destroyed expression. "Does my father not want us anymore?"

"Of course he does! He loves you, Sesshoumaru! " Kagome found herself comforting him, coming even closer and squeezing his hands.

Sesshoumaru looked down, and a single tear rolled down his cheeks.

"Then why is he trying to replace us?"

Kagome didn't know what to respond to that, so she held the little boy in her arms tightly and tried to see a future where this misery would not be a normal occurrence. Where his family was not crumbling around him, where his mother and father loved each other, and where she could be his tutor and he her pupil forever.

But gone were those rose-colored days.


	4. Chapter 4

**Series:** Inuyasha

 **Universe:** Modern AU (MiddleSchool!Sess and HighSchooTutor!Kagome)

 **Pairing:** Eventual SessKag...or maybe not?

 **Rating:** PG-13.

 **Disclaimer:** Inuyasha and its characters are the intellectual property of one Rumiko Takahashi. I only make bad fanfiction about it.

 **Author's notes:** _Kagome meets with highschool-junior Sesshoumaru for one last study session before she moves away for college. She hopes for a tender farewell with the boy, but Sesshoumaru has other things in mind._

Back by popular demand- _MiddleSchool!Sess x Tutor!Kagome_ ! You guys really responded to this drabble series and pairing, and I thought I would give you a gift of sorts. By the way, this drabble features two underage teens doing the hanky-panky. If that makes you uncomfortable (as it should, unless you too are an underage teen) then skip this one. A lot of my viewers wanted Sess and Kag to hook up, but the mere thought of Kagome doing the nasty with what is basically an underage demon boy is just a little MUCH for me. So...this is as good as you're gonna get, you guys. I wanted to keep them both in characters, so I think Kagome being partially repulsed by this is still very true to herself (she's such a moral saint).

This is by no means the last time you will hear from these two, of that you can be sure. I'm not so cruel as to end the series like this...or am I?

* * *

 **Pupil of my Eye IV**

 **888**

"I'm back with tea and cookies! Izayoi said that if you wanted more, there were a few more batches left in the oven."

Perched on his bed, Sesshoumaru nodded wordlessly at Kagome, and then looked out the window again. Kagome bit her lip and set the tray down on the corner of the bed, before carefully sitting down next to the white-haired youth. The comforter was soft and familiar under her anxious hands from the millions of times the raven had sat there to study with the younger boy, but today it brought no comfort.

After three long years, this was their last day of tutoring together. She hadn't come out and told him straight-out, but she had been dropping hints about her college choices once she graduated, and Sesshoumaru, though young, was definitely smart enough to pick up on it. She had been looking at Tokyo University, on the other side of the country. If she got in, this meant that chances of seeing each other again were slim to none, let alone any chance of Kagome potentially continuing as his math tutor. Kagome had ignored it, had prolonged the goodbye in the off-chance that if she paid it no mind, she would not have to confront the problem at all.

With both of their semesters finally done though and graduation dawning upon them, Kagome could hide it no longer. She had to come clean, no matter how difficult or awkward it might be.

In all honesty, a part of Kagome didn't want it to end. She had become a pillar of emotional support for the 14-year-old boy and despite his silent nature and stoic demeanor he had created a very distinct Sesshoumaru-shaped hole in her heart. Dare she say it, she truly cared for him. More than from a tutor-pupil standpoint, and certainly more than a passing brotherly affection. Sesshoumaru had become, quite by chance, one of her best friends, if not her only one. Sure, she gossiped with Ayumi and went to the mall with Rei, but with this quiet boy the 17-year-old woman could always be herself, unapologetically.

Of course, Kagome was getting ahead of herself. Sesshoumaru probably didn't feel as strongly as she did about this goodbye. He was probably annoyed with her that she had put it off for so long and now he had less than two months to find a proper math tutor for next year. And he had given Kagome so much, from a friendly ear to extravagant road-trips with his family, to just a space where she could be her most natural self. All he asked in return was a passing grade. It really wasn't fair of her to expect too much from him.

"Umm, Sesshoumaru?" Kagome tried to catch his attention. When she put a hesitant hand over his knuckles, he flinched, but still didn't look at her. The pretty raven's brow puckered in concern, and she hesitated, biting her lip. "Actually, I need to talk to you…"

Kagome was preparing her well-rehearsed farewell speech on her head when Sesshoumaru interrupted.

"You're leaving." He stated. It wasn't a question, his voice void of inflection or emotion.

Kagome deflated as she stared at the morose figure of the boy she loved so tenderly looking out at the rainy day outside. Squeezing his hand, she put on a fake smile and tried her best to sound enthusiastic.

"Yes, I am. I received my letter from Tokyo U yesterday; I got in! Which is great! I'll be able to continue my education – I think I told you I wanted to be a teacher – and they have all of these great clubs and programs and internships for aspiring professionals."

"Sounds great." Sesshoumaru muttered monotonely.

"It is!" Kagome urged on. She dropped his hand, her own hands fidgeting together nervously at his non-response. "It does mean that I'll have to move away. Actually I…I'll be leaving next weekend after graduation."

That finally elicited a response from the young boy, who looked away from the window to the raven, eyebrows disappearing under his bangs. "So soon…"

Kagome sighed, relieved he was finally listening to her. "Yeah, it feels like it right? I just have to move into the dorms and catch some summer courses before formally beginning in the fall. So I might as well get settled in as soon as possible. No use wasting time, right?"

Sesshoumaru nodded, lowering his eyes to the floor. "Of course. It is very practical, Sensei. Uncharacteristically so from you."

She laughed at his jab, assured that if he was making jokes then this conversation wasn't going so bad. "Mom said the same thing. And then cried. And of course, I cried." Again she chuckled, but there was a thick knot forming in her throat at the memory so she plunged on. "Anyways, I promise to visit once in a while, ne?

"You seem happy about it…"

"Yes, I am. Very happy. Really." Kagome replied, and she had the sneaking suspicion she was trying to convince herself more than the quiet boy before her. She noticed his knuckles were white, hands fisted tightly. Was he worried about her? "I mean, I'll get homesick for sure, and I'll miss my mom and little brother, even grandpa and his crazy stories. And of course, I'll miss you and Inuyasha." Kagome added, remembering the little white-haired three-year-old fondly.

"But I'm sure I'll be alright." She continued, trying to ease the tension in his hands, in the line of his shoulders. Surely, he couldn't be that upset? "And I'll have new teachers, make friends, meet guys –"

"No."

In one second, Kagome's world turned on its axis as she was pushed back forcibly towards the bed.

The tray crashed to the floor, the tea spilling and the cookies scattering in an explosion of chaos. It would probably stain the carpet if they didn't clean it immediately, but Kagome's mind was too occupied to worry about it, her attention solely focused on the boy currently hovering over her on the bed.

Their ragged breathing sounded loud and thunderous in the quiet room. No one dared move, both of them carved statues as their very worlds tipped on the edge of a blade, and a single word would bring it crashing down one side or the other.

Now, pinned under her pupil, Kagome couldn't help but realize how much he had grown. Three years had gone by in a rush of tests and tears and silences and now Sesshoumaru was no longer the timid little 11-year-old she had tutored.

At 14 years of age, his face had already slimmed to the angular and hard plains of his father's face, pushing back the roundness of youth to make way for more masculine features. His nose, cute and round during his middle-school years, was now long and regal, set atop plush and sensual lips. His body had developed considerably too, limbs long and muscles sinewy, attached to too-wide shoulders that he had yet to fill out. By the time he finished all of his growing, Sesshoumaru was sure to be as handsome, if not more so, than his own father.

Had Kagome been 14 again, she would've killed for a chance to be with a boy as gorgeous as Sesshoumaru. But she was nearly 18 now, almost an adult, and as flattered as she was that her pupil saw her that way and to be in this compromising position with him, it still felt off.

Kagome tried to lift her arms, but Sesshoumaru's grip was iron-strong on her wrists, fingers curling possessively over the delicate bones in ways that frightened the young girl. "Sesshoumaru?" she asked uncertainly, confused to hear the wavering in her own voice. She had never felt frightened of Sesshoumaru. He had always made her feel, if not safe, then comfortable. But now…

"Uhn!" she mumbled, squirming under his grip. His leg insinuated itself firmly between her thighs, preemptively blocking any move to escape.

"It's not fair." Sesshoumaru whispered, so low Kagome would have missed it had he not been mere inches away from her. The white-haired teenager leaned even closer, his weight falling heavily on Kagome, pressing her further down on the mattress. Kagome let out a shuddering breath, muddled and disoriented, as he turned his head and buried his face in the crook of her neck. His lips, author to many a snide comment on her person and the very same ones she had been admiring earlier, brushed feather light against her pulse as he continued speaking.

"Why is it only me…that feels this way?"

The spit in her mouth dried up, and Kagome lay frozen, afraid that if she moved even a fraction of an inch she would either drive him away or urge him on. She was completely immobile, trying to calm her breathing and raging heart. What now? The next move would either ruin them or bring them closer – and Kagome wasn't sure what she wanted anymore.

Sesshoumaru was warring with himself as well, she could feel it. His body trembled, adrenaline and fear and something else, something _darker_ , battling inside of him. She could feel it in the flexing of his muscles, in the grit of his jaw against her collarbone, in the slight shake of his head.

Outside, the rain continued pouring, and time stood still.

"Stay with me, Sensei…" he breathed at last, burying deeper into her hair and inhaling her scent.

One powerful hand released her wrist, only to make its way down her forearm, slow and unsure with inexperience, yet incredibly sensual, the touch leaving little trails of fire on her hypersensitive skin.

"Sesshoumaru…" she breathed, her voice tremulous, feeling as if she were on the edge of a precipice with her foot dangling over the edge, ready to fall- "…let's talk-"

"No." the muffled reply came. It was final and it struck Kagome as sort of petulant. She could feel his face burrowing against her neck, the skin of his cheek hot, but he refused to meet her eyes.

"Sesshoumaru?" Kagome tried again.

He declined to answer though. His hand continued to caress her forearm in that maddening feather-light touch that was inspiring foreign carnal desires in her, but that did not distract her from her fact that he was not answering. Sesshoumaru was deliberately tuning her out.

And then she realized –

He was hiding from her.

Sesshoumaru - the young solemn kid who never ran away from his problems, who always did as he pleased and faced every challenge head on, who got past one of the most traumatic experiences in a young person's life like their parents divorcing - was now hiding from a teenage girl.

And beyond the fog of uncertainty and yearning, something bubbled up from deep within Kagome's chest. It grew, traveled up her windpipe, and before she could stifle it, escaped through her lips and turned into a giggle.

The boy above her tensed.

Another giggle followed. And then another, and before Kagome knew it she was in a fit of laughter.

Of course, Sesshoumaru being a 14-year-old boy, did not take kindly to being laughed at, and faintly she remembered how fragile male egos were at that age. Raising himself up from his hiding place in her hair, he frowned down at the giggling women bellow him, offset by her sudden hysteria.

"Stop that." He commanded, the order comical coming from such young lips. If only he knew how endearing he looked to her right now - a miniature version of his father and an older one of his baby brother - and Kagome tried, she really did try to stop the fountain of giggles that burst through, but for the life of her she couldn't.

"Stop." He ordered once more, and Kagome shook her head, trying to explain that she couldn't.

In hindsight she should've remembered what an impulsive child Sesshoumaru was, and if she had she would have ceased her laughter immediately. But she hadn't, her mind preoccupied with the sheer ridiculousness of the situation, of lying in bed with a boy three years younger than her.

So she was completely taken by surprise when he grabbed her jaw tightly between his long fingers and smashed their mouths together.

It was as if time were moving in slow-motion and much too fast both at once. The raven squeaked into the kiss, but Sesshoumaru's hand on her jaw was resolute. The kiss itself was not unpleasant, merely clumsy and odd as he tried to coax a reaction out of her, and dimly Kagome noted that this was probably her very first kiss, just as much as his.

Mentally, Kagome realized that this was an awful mistake, that she should not be allowing or encouraging this to happen, that she should shout or kick him off. But physically, the nubile part of her that had never experienced a sensual touch like this because she had always been too shy, or too modest or _too good_ , reveled in the carnal sensations flowing through her.

It was like his mouth was a volcano, because very slowly, warmth spread from his lips to her cheeks and all the way down to her neck, and an odd ache began to bloom in Kagome's chest. After what felt like an eternity of their lips together, he pulled away.

Sesshoumaru was studying her intently, and Kagome realized that, since that afternoon where he cried into her arms, this was the second time she had ever seen him so overcome with emotion. He looked mussed, an adjective she would never in her life use to describe him, his T-shirt wrinkled, long hair cascading down his shoulders and tangling with her own. Ravenous eyes peeked from beneath half-shadowed bangs, and he looked haunted and young and _hungry_ –

Above the roar of her heart in her eardrums, Kagome heard loud ragged breathing, and it took her a few beats to realize it was her own panting. The precipice still lay before her, and into the dark void she spoke "Why?".

Sesshoumaru didn't answer right away, looking at her from beneath heavy eyelids, his entire appearance eerily animalistic in a way she was not used to seeing him. He countered the question with one of his own.

"Why not?"

It had been the wrong answer. Kagome pushed against him, suddenly mortified and angry and embarrassed. With a quickness that belied his lethargic state, she was quickly restrained by Sesshoumaru, his hands once again capturing her wrists, pushing her back. She wrestled against him, hot tears burning behind her eyes, but he was surprisingly strong. With a frustrated cry, she gave up and plopped back onto the bed, glaring at him.

"I am not your plaything, Sesshoumaru!" she half-shouted with a gasp, the sudden emotion taking her by surprise. Was this all his idea of a joke!? What did he think he was trying to accomplish out of this? Making a fool of her once again, the tutor who was idiotically mislead by her pupil into thinking that he wanted her- that he loved-

Kagome turned her face away so he wouldn't see the treacherous tears fall, her face burning with shame and guilt and fury.

"If you think this is funny-"

"I do not." his deep voice cut her off, tone even.

Kagome could feel the words rumbling over her, _through_ her, and she shivered when she felt his fingers once more on her jaw. This time though, he was gentle. His fingers, the ones she had watched a million times hold a pencil as they figured out an exercise, were now carefully running across her face in a way that made her breath catch in her throat. Softly, almost tenderly, he stroked her cheek, and Kagome was once more hanging over the precipice she had believed she had escaped from, the darkness laughing at her from beneath.

"I do not think this is funny… and I do not think of you as a plaything, Sensei." His eyes were too intense, and Kagome tried to look away but his hand, strong and gentle and forceful, moved her face towards him until she could not escape his gaze. His lips were wet and swollen, and with a blush Kagome wondered if she had been responsible for that.

As if sensing her thoughts, his eyes strayed to her mouth, finger tracing her bottom lip with almost obscene reverence.

"What I feel for you…"he began, voice husky and throaty, "… is far more than you can probably imagine…Kagome." Kagome's eyes widened. He rarely ever called her by her first name, and to hear him speak it, the name coming through his no-longer-innocent lips, had something deliciously sinful pouring into Kagome's lower stomach. Like hot, melted wax, it spread and settled there, impossible to ignore.

 _This is bad_ , she thought distantly, even as Sesshoumaru leaned in again for a kiss.

She thought of pushing him away, of telling him that this was wrong and dirty and perverse, but when his lips pressed against hers, all thoughts dissipated nothingness. And then Sesshoumaru began to kiss her.

Softly at first, then more confidently, as his jaw moved up and down in a steady rhythm that was sweet and comfortable. Despite herself, Kagome found herself sighing into his lips at the sensation. If she were being honest with herself, something she had not been lately, she would've been pretty content to kiss like that forever. But then he twisted his head and brushed his tongue against her lower lip, very clearly broadcasting what he wanted with his actions. He was asking for access. Kagome, still whirring at the turn of events, understood and instinctively opened her mouth, where Sesshoumaru wasted no time in exploring each and every crevice of it. His tongue felt strange inside of her, but not unpleasant, and Kagome found her own tongue dancing with his, shyly at first, then more boldly as they chased each other. She didn't know how he had become so skilled, or perhaps he was just surprisingly talented in the art of snogging.

 _But_ God _was he good_ , she thought muzzily as her arms, now free from his grip, linked around his shoulders, pressing their chests together. The air between them ceased to exist, and she felt heavy and warm and electric. _Sesshoumaru_ was electric. Where did he learn to kiss like this?

The feeling of guilt still niggled at the back of her mind, but it was overshadowed by the wonderful feeling of him devouring her lips in a way that nobody had ever done before. His hands, large and powerful, explored her body, frantic and never still, flitting boldly across her chest, to the curve of her waist, down the slope of her hips and past the edge of her skirt. Clever fingers toyed with the hem, pulling the fabric with it as his palm, hot and firm against her skin, dragged it up her leg. The feel of his hand against the sensitive muscles of her upper thigh had Kagome's mind in a pleasant buzz, and all she could think was ' _yes'_ and ' _more'_ and _'so good'_ …

Quite by accident, Kagome's hips nudged his pelvis. The action pressed her soft belly against his pants, rubbing against that part of his body that she had never thought about until _now,_ and Sesshoumaru groaned into her mouth, low and feral, hips bucking-

No! _Bad bad bad-!_

Kagome pulled away from his mouth with an audible pop, gasping for air. She put her hands against his shoulders to stop any potential attack and grasped for coherency.

"Um!" she gulped eloquently.

Sesshoumaru rested his forehead against her shoulder, equally out of breath. The sound of his breathing, ragged at the edges and raw, made her feel both embarrassed and pleased that she had been the one to make him lose his composure.

"Wow…"she began, panting."Umm…that was-"

"Amazing."

"- _wrong._ That was wrong, Sesshoumaru. I shouldn't have…holy shit, what did I do?"

Sesshoumaru was planting heated kisses against her neck, obviously not having the same moral qualms as his tutor. His hand, the one that quite slyly had dragged her skirt all the way up to her waist, squeezed the side of her pelvis meaningfully.

"What you have done is made me quite happy, to be honest." he purred, like a content cat.

Kagome frowned at the top of his head, where it lay bellow her as he kissed his way down to her collarbone. She brought his head upward from its journey to her chest, and glared at him through her blush.

"I'm serious, Sesshoumaru."

"And so am I, Kagome." She flinched at his casual use of her name again, and her blush doubled ten-fold (if possibly) at his beautiful smile at her reaction. "You have no idea how long I have wished to do that. To make you completely mine." He leaned forward and placed a slow, soft kiss on her lips. When he pulled back, Kagome nearly gasped. Sesshoumaru was looking at her with such intensity she could feel his gaze penetrate her very soul.

"I love you, Kagome." he whispered.

It was so quiet, you could hear a pin drop. Kagome swallowed, realizing he was expecting a reply.

"Sesshoumaru, I…we can't…you're just a child."

He scoffed, as if that were inconsequential. "I may be a child now, but in a few years it will not matter. We will be able to stand out in the world as equals and our age difference will not seem so large."

Whoa, in a few years? This conversation was escalating far quicker than what Kagome had expected. Gently, she pushed him away, sitting up and trying to fix her skirt, her modesty, her mistake. The teen looked at her, confused, and Kagome bit her lip at his equally disheveled state. She had done that…to a _boy._ She drew a shaking hand to her mouth, feeling disgusted with herself. After catching her breath, Kagome turned to him with sad eyes. She needed to fix this, _now._

"Sesshoumaru, I don't think what you feel for me is love, though. Not the real kind, anyway." She said into the silence as gently as possible. "I'm your tutor, so it's probably closer to infatuation or admiration, and it's not uncommon for boys your age– "

"I know what I feel!" he hissed, bristling at her condescending tone. "I do not need to hide it or be ashamed of it. Are _you?"_

"Yes, I am." She confessed, and his eyebrows flew upward at that. "I took advantage of you. I shouldn't have done that, and I'm sorry." She got to her feet, suddenly wanting to leave that small room as quickly as possible, suffocating under her own shame, when his hand shot out and stopped her.

 _"Look at me, Kagome._ " He intoned imperiously, grabbing her wrist. He was breathing hard again, his brows drawn down into a furious scowl. Kagome wished he could only see how much he looked like his father then, the very picture of the man he resented most. "Look at me, and tell me you didn't feel something when we kissed."

The rain had finally stopped, and far away downstairs, they could hear Izayoi humming as she cooked. God, if she had heard them, if she had seen what Kagome had been doing to her little boy just moments ago-

"I think I should go…" Kagome whispered, not daring to meet his eyes.

His fingers wrapped around her wrist tighter. "Is that your answer, then?"

Kagome remained quiet. Sesshoumaru sneered, an ugly smile snaking its way across his features, and he let go of her wrist.

"Get out."

Kagome looked down at him, her eyes pleading. "Sesshoumaru-!"

But he was already looking outside the window again, and his attitude was so cold and so far removed from the very emotional creature just mere seconds ago, that Kagome nearly wept. His walls had fallen into place again, and he was once more the aloof and cruel Prince of Silence she had desperately tried to change for the last three years.

"Please, get out now. Have a safe trip to Tokyo, Sensei."

Kagome looked down, nodding at her fisted hands. Slowly, as if through water, she headed toward the room's exit. She paused at the doorway.

"Will you see me off at the airport?" she asked, her voice minute against the oppressing silence.

"I do not think so." He replied cooly.

She nodded again, even though he could not see it.

"You know…I love you, Sesshoumaru. Just…not like that. I'm sorry."

"Just leave." He plead wearily, and he looked so pale and fragile, sitting on the edge of the bed, that Kagome almost turned back and hugged him.

But she closed the door, walked down the wooden stairs, through the carpeted hallway, past the warm kitchen where Izayoi asked if she wanted more cookies, and out the main entrance into the cold damp streets. She walked out of the Taisho Manor, Ancient House of the West and Moon, home of the only boy she had ever loved.

And she never looked back.

* * *

AN: I'm about to get so much hate for this, I know it xD As always, Reviews make me happy and let me know what you as the audience think! That helps me write better! So R&R please! And stay tuned for more fics to come!


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